Obama Plot Skinhead Wants Dismissal

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — One of two white supremacists charged with plotting to kill President-elect Barack Obama and dozens of other black people argued Thursday that a federal grand jury was racially stacked against him.

Daniel Cowart, 20, said his indictment should be dismissed.

A grand jury indicted Cowart and Paul Schlesselman, 18, on Nov. 5, charging them with plotting to kill Obama, possessing a sawed-off shotgun, carrying guns across state lines to commit crimes and planning to rob a licensed firearms dealer.

Cowart and Schlesselman are awaiting trial without bond at a northwest Tennessee jail, on lockdown in a two-man cell and separated from other inmates for their own safety.

In his petition, Cowart said the grand jury had two white members, while "21 were African-American or of another race or races." The jury, he said, could not "under the most modest constitutional scrutiny ... be considered fair, impartial and unprejudiced."

Prosecutors declined comment.

Authorities describe Cowart and Schlesselman as white supremacist skinheads and accuse them of plotting a robbery and killing spree in which 88 black victims were to be slain.

The spree was to culminate, authorities say, in an attack on Obama _ with Cowart and Schlesselman decked out in white tuxedoes and firing guns from a speeding car.

No trial date has been set. Cowart and Schlesselman are expected to stand trial in the town of Jackson about 75 miles north of Memphis, because the crimes they are charged with allegedly occurred in that area.

"There had to be either a systematic exclusion of white people from that (grand jury) pool or there was some unexplained deviation in the composition of that pool by which you get two white people out of 23," said Joe Byrd, Cowart's attorney.

Byrd did not say how he knew the racial makeup of the grand jury. "That's the information I have," he said. "I'm not stereotyping anybody. What I'm saying is the law requires a fair cross section of the community and that didn't happen."

Byrd refused to discuss the charges against his client or his alleged affiliation with white supremacist groups.

Comments

[mmgbizgirl]

Never!

[karinova]

Wonder if the makeup of the jury-- which, um, they shouldn't know about-- has something to do with the spike in voter registrations this campaign year(s), in all it's demographic vagaries.

[Wolf Larsen]

Come on.....does anyone believe that Cowart used the words....modest.....scrutiny.....or fair, impartial and unprejudiced......let alone African-American when he described the jury?

Please......if you believe that I have a burning cross to sell you.....

[ReneeinLA]

LOL...good point!

[Wolf Larsen]

It's called Karma.....Jethro.

The jury are the least of your problems.....I would be more worried about the reception in prison and your endless dance card of unworthy individuals willing to show you the rope......so to speak.

[anniegirl9]

It is interesting to note that the number of hate crimes has risen sharply over the past 8 years. We have concentrated a lot on the black issue understandably with having just elected our first African American president, but hispanics are the target of choice by today's racists. CNN's Rich Sanchez's report of the brutal attack of one Latino teen left me in tears. Of course, crimes against gays, and Arab Americans have also been on the rise.

After 9/11, many hailed how we came together as a country, but in my opionion, it gave many permission to openly hate again. That coupled with a party leadership that deepened the devide. Certainly not all Republican's are racists, but you have to ask what it is about the policies of the Right, especially the base, that is so appealing to racists.

I would love to believe that an Obama administration will help align the country again and open racial hated will become at least tabu. But I feel we will see some clashes as a black president takes the helm on the heals of 8 years of racist uprisings.

[ArmyCentrist]

Maybe next time you commit a hate crime, you should think about the demographics of the area you're committing said crime in- if the area they select the jury from is heavily Black, then those are going to be the majority of the jury DUH! Next time, plot to kill the President in the White side of town...idiot.

[hillpill]

Good point, but let's not give any ideas to these more rons.

[Naithom]

Wonder how he's going to react if he gets a black roomie in jail?

[scully09]

Im from Tenn. I am ashamed of that place. I dont think ill ever go back there. It's very racist.

[AC-DC]

its OK guys O.J had 12 white jurors and he did just fine!!

[Finchy13]

How can that Joe Byrd live with himself - even thinking about defending these two morons - whether the jury is black, white or sky-blue-pink - they should be convicted and sent away for the rest of their lives - hey guys, THEY ARE FEDERAL FELONY CHARGES - hope you end up in a prison in a state where the majority supported and voted for Obama - have fun.......................ignorance is alive and well in Tennessee.........

[Dave01]

Believe it or not, we do have a Constitution which calls for due process. Someone's got to defend him and if his attorney is a public defender he didn't have much choice in the matter. In addition, there are many attorneys who still believe in not only "innocent until proven guilty", but also that every person deserves a fair trial. I know that concept is is foreign to a lot of people, but it is true.

Don't get me wrong, I am in NO way defending this guy, I'm just looking at this from the perspective of the law. I 100% agree that the guy should be put away for life, but not for one minute should his Constitutional Rights be violated.

[RockySoldier]

i'm sorry, mr. skinhead. you're going to have to get a translator. i don't speak hillbilly.

[RockySoldier]

let me lock em up. the key will end up somewhere in the bottom of the pacific.

[barackobama4prez]

get used to it. by 2040 there will be at least as many minorities and some reports argue that minorities will be the majority by 2040/2050.

[KeepMeLearning]

By 2025 or sooner in California...

[anghiari]

They already are the majority in California and Florida...and folks seem to be surviving well...not much has changed...

[StillIRise]

I call this POETIC JUSTICE.

[pokemon]

I'm White, your guilty.

Suck it up, you canot expect to have a grand jury made up of white KKK members can you? Are you really that stupid... Oh wait, that question was answered already.

Really we will see more and more anger and fear. white people who felt as if they were better then others will realize that they are if fact equal, thats scary to them. Of course they will lash out if cornered and cornered they are. Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha, animals.

[beantowner]

I'd like to know how the defense attorney knows the racial makeup of the grand jury. Grand jury activities are not for public consumption or knowledge.

That aside, the premise for this b.s. is preposterous. What's the gist of the argument here? "It's okay for me to hate you (and plot to take 88 of your lives, along with the new President-Elect's) because of the color of your skin, but YOU can't do that to me because I'm white and your decision is based on that fact?" Ugh. The ignorant are alive and well. For now, anyway.

I sincerely hope these two losers enjoy their trial. A black judge would be icing on this particular cake.